Google Pay has been completely updated and revamped: what changes for payments and how to take advantage of the new features
The online payments app Google Pay has been completely revamped, both in interface design and new additional features. From now on, you'll be able to split rent or utility bills with friends and roommates, as well as being able to directly pay for services such as restaurants, gas stations or parking.
To date, the Google Pay app is used by over 150 million people in 30 countries around the world each month, but the Mountain View giant's goal is to increase those numbers. The app allows you to split your spending, manage your transactions from your history and your savings, with significant improvements not only in features, but also in standards that ensure security and privacy. In addition, Google is working with banks and financial institutions to create Plex, a new checking account integrated directly into Google Pay and accessible from iOS and Android mobile devices starting in 2021.
Google Pay, split expenses and payments
The new interface is designed to allow you to better manage your most frequent transactions, thanks to the history that allows you to see what payments are made and to whom they are made. By creating a group, you'll be able to split expenses, such as a restaurant dinner with friends or rent with your roommates, by directly tallying up the fees respectively to be paid.
Also, the service is expanding and in the US it allows you to order food in 100000 restaurants, buy fuel in over 30000 gas stations and pay for parking in over 400 cities, all directly from the app in a simplified way.
Google Pay to manage money and savings
The Google Pay app helps users in saving money by allowing the history to track the spending done and redeeming offers and discount codes without the need to clip and set aside various coupons.
There are several brands in the US that address offers directly in-app, such as Burger King, Etzy, Target and many others. All you have to do is tap on the coupon of the store you want to use and proceed with payment.
If you link a bank account or your payment cards to Google Pay, the app will provide periodic summaries of your spending and analyze it, showing shopping trends over time, so you can better manage your money and help you save money.
Google Pay, increases security
Among the new features implemented in the app, Google has also focused on improving security, offering customizable privacy settings to have more transparency and control over your profile. Also, in case of payments to an unknown user, the app will send an alert to check if the transaction was authorized.
When registering for Google Pay, you can turn on transaction history, which is disabled by default, so you can always keep an eye on them. In addition, Google pledges not to sell user data to third parties and not to share transaction history for those involved in ad targeting.
Google Pay launches Plex: its bank account
Google is working with banks and financial institutions to launch Plex, a bank account integrated directly into its online payments app. These are accounts offered by banks, allowing savings options without paying monthly fees, minimum balance requirements or overdraft fees.
The new Plex accounts will be available for Android and iOS mobile devices starting in 2021 in the United States, thanks to agreements reached by the Mountain View giant with 11 banks.